What does this Scripture mean?

Question

I have been hearing that chrsitians should "rightly divide the word of truth" I know it has to do with the Bible but what does this statement mean?

Answer 1

2timothy2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." i think it says that you should work towards living a christian life that you don't need to be ashamed of thru God so that you are in a spiritual health that would allow you to properly interpret/understand His word.

Answer 2

The Word of Truth
by Larry Ollison, Ph.D.

Second Timothy 2:15 says, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

In this scripture we find where we are told that we are to be workers for God, not ashamed and that we are to rightly divide the Word of truth. What's interesting about this statement is that if the Word can be rightly divided, then it can also be wrongly divided.

When I was young in the ministry, I would wonder why there were so many different Christian denominations. If we all believed in the same Jesus and if we all taught from the same Bible, then why in the world did we have so many different beliefs within Christianity?

As I grew older and matured in the Word, I realized that even though we all used the same book as our guide and manual, that not everybody studied this book.

In fact, one minister that I met in college ordered his sermons through the mail and only used his Bible as the folder to hold them as he preached. Too often we develop a belief and then search the Bible to find a scripture to back up what we have predetermined as the truth. With some, it doesn't matter if it is out of context; it only matters if a phrase matches our belief.

Recently on the national news, on the nation's largest news network, a reporter asked a seminary professor at one of the nation's largest Protestant universities this question. He asked, "Why is it that there are some ministers who seem so strong in their views and why is it that they will not compromise what they believe?"

The seminary professor's reply stunned me. He said, "One of the problems we have in modern theology and in many of our churches today is that there are some ministers who actually believe that everything in the Bible is true and that it is the ultimate code for their lifestyle and the lifestyle of their congregations."

How sad it is when the men training ministers don't believe the Word of God is completely, 100% pure truth.

Titus 1:2 and Hebrews 6:18 both tell us that it is impossible for God to lie and John 8:44 says that Satan is a liar.

I know that rightly dividing the word means so much more than what I am stating here. However, the first step to rightly divide God's Word is to believe that the Bible is inspired by God Himself and was written by men only by the direction of the Holy Spirit. It is the Word of Truth.

Answer 3

This is the reason why there are so many divisions among the churches and their teachings is because someone didn't "rightly divide the Word of Truth"

For example:
Here's two Scriptures that can be taken different ways.


Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.


Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:


The first says whatever you do, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. That would include baptism.

The next verse says to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. There is no mention of Lord here.
But according to the first Scripture, everything must be done with the word, Lord Jesus included.

The second verse are not names but Titles, therefore one has to find out what the name of the Father is: which is Lord, the Son of course is named Jesus, and the Holy Ghost was the Anointing that came down on Pentecost and the word "Christ" means "anointed One"

We can then see the full NAME.
And the baptism is therefore in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, to "rightly divide the Word of Truth" is to rightly
interpret It.

To know where to put It in its true context.

Answer 4

It means to understand what a scripture actually says. The bible also has a verse that reads "the things of God are spiritually discerned". People can come up with all sorts of weird interpretations of scripture. One has to have God's spirit to be able to rightly understand it.

Case in point: there are people who actually argue that in the book of Romans, chapter 1, it isn't speaking about homosexuality at all...that it's saying that prostitution in the Temple was wrong. Huh uh. That's not "rightly dividing" the word; that is wresting scripture to fit your own agenda!

Answer 5

To rightly divide the word.

Lets look at a popular question on this board. It is STATED of Adam and Eve where did Cain find a wife, from his sisters?
It is a tradition of men that Adam and Eve were the first people on earth, and you are NOT to ask where did the Chinese come from!

B.S.

Genesis 1 & 2
You will find that MAN and WOMAN was created on the 6th day, 7th day God rested, and on the 8th day God created ADAM and EVE

On the 6th day all the races were created, Blacks, Whites, Reds, Yellows, Greens (there is a Polynesian race that has an olive green skin), etc… This is to rightly divide the word.

Hope this helps

Answer 6

2 Timothy 2:15: Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. That's the Old English (King James) Translation... let me break it down in today talk for ya:

Study earnestly to show yourself approved to God a worker who doesn't have to be ashamed, but is able to properly expound upon (or explain) the Word of Truth.

Basically... rightly divide the work of truth means to be able to explain it properly... without pretext and without a personal agenda.

Answer 7

This is from II Timothy 2:15 and it means "correctly explain or interpret the word of truth/scripture."

Answer 8

basically, it means that you need, when studying the Bible, to understand to whom the passage is written, and why...a simple example is in the Old Testament, where you can find the Jewish dietary laws...these do not apply to Christians, nor do the laws regarding sacrifices-we are no longer under the old covenant of Moses, but living in the new covenant of the Messiah, Jesus Christ...if you type 'rightly divide the word of truth' in your search engine, you will find links to various studies on the subject-God bless you and guide you in your study of His Word...

Answer 9

It is to interpret the Bible rightly between us.

Answer 10

Study honestly to seek what God will have you to find in His word. using your own inteligence and alowing The Holy Spirit to lead. It dose not mean to just take some mans interpritation at face value, but to dig deep enough into The Word That you can make your own Judgment of it's meaning and be open to The spirits leading as to how to apply it to your life.